KARACHI: A Customs and taxation court acquitted 37 persons after eight years in a case pertaining to the 429 NATO that had allegedly gone missing.
Judge Syed Faiz Rasool Rashdi announced the verdict.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) intelligence and investigation diretor general had lodged a case against the accused under Sections 156-1, 14, 14A on the Customs Act, 1969.
The prosecution had claimed during the case proceedings that after clearance from Customs, the containers were loaded on vehicles that had been hired by National Logistics Cell (NLC).
Judge Rashdi said, “They have not examined themselves on oath nor produced any evidence in their defence.”
He also observed that the prosecution had failed to prove a case against the accused persons.
The judge said in the order, “It is significant to note that under the facts and circumstances of the case only NLC was responsible to transport the consignments to Afghanistan but from the record it appears that they failed to perform their duty and no investigation was conducted from the NLC officials, who were responsible for transportation of the consignments to Afghanistan.”